Published Oct 13, 2022
VHSL State Golf Championship Report from 10/11/22: Class 5, 3 & 1
Robert Anderson  •  VirginiaPreps
Staff Writer

Independence and Abingdon repeated 2021 titles with victories Tuesday, October 11th, in the 2022 VHSL Golf Championships, while Galax broke through for its first title since 2011.

In the Class 5 tournament at Heritage Oaks Golf Course in Harrisonburg, Independence shot a team score of 287 to edge runner-up Riverside by one stroke in a battle of Loudoun County schools.

Deep Run placed third at 295, followed by Mills Godwin (296), Frank Cox (312), Menchville (317), First Colonial (323) and Nansemond River (342).

Frank Cox's Josh Haggerty claimed the individual championship with a 2-under-par 68. Haggerty finished one shot clear or Ben Baker of Briar Woods, Independence's Neil Kulkami and Riverside's Vaughn McMeans, who shot 69.

Kulkami was backed by Independence teammates Keya Naik (71), Kapil Ramachandran (73) and Sujaan Singh (74).

Naik birdied No. 18, Ramachandran birdied No. 17, and Singh had birds on Nos. 16 and 17 to put Independence over the top.


Class 3: Abingdon won for the third year in a row and the fifth time in the last six seasons with a 12-stroke margin over Lord Botetourt at Stonehenge Golf & Country Club in Richmond.

Charlottesville's Preston Burton fired a 3-under-par 69 to claim the individual crown, scoring a birdie on the 18th hole.

Burton was two shots better than runner-up Grace Addison of Abingdon.

Cave Spring's Owen Bright placed third at 72. Defending champion Ashton Harper of Lord Botetourt was fourth at 73.

Addison paced Abingdon to its sixth team championship in eight years. The Falcons also counted scores by Conner Brummitt (76), Mason Funk (76) and Jackson Cook (83).

Abingdon and Lord Botetourt were followed in the team standings by Meridian (324), Charlottesville and New Kent (327), York (335), Goochland (338) and Rockbridge County (351).


Class 1: Grayden Laird and Talan Gentry survived a frost delay and finished 1-2 in the individual standings to lift Galax to the championship at Olde Mill Golf Resort in Laurel Fork.

Laird's 1-over-par 73 was good enough for a one-stroke victory over Gentry, whose birdie on No. 18 allowed him to share second place at 74 with defending champion Benson Blevins of George Wythe.

Wythe's David Goode placed fourth at 75.

Galax's team score of 322 was 26 shots ahead of George Wythe and Middlesex. The Maroon Tide was the team runner-up to Lancaster in 2021.

Castlewood placed fourth at 349, followed by Lancaster (360), Patrick Henry-Glade Spring (398), Riverheads (417) and Central-Lunenburg (442).



Independence and Abingdon repeated 2021 titles with victories Tuesday in the VHSL golf championships, while Galax broke through for its first title since 2011.

In the Class 5 tournament at Heritage Oaks Golf Course in Harrisonburg, Independence shot a team score of 287 to edge runner-up Riverside by one stroke in a battle of Loudoun County schools.

Deep Run placed third at 295, followed by Mills Godwin (296), Frank Cox (312), Menchville (317), First Colonial (323) and Nansemond River (342).

Frank Cox's Josh Haggerty claimed the individual championship with a 2-under-par 68. Haggerty finished one shot clear or Ben Baker of Briar Woods, Independence's Neil Kulkami and Riverside's Vaughn McMeans, who shot 69.

Kulkami was backed by Independence teammates Keya Naik (71), Kapil Ramachandran (73) and Sujaan Singh (74).

Naik birdied No. 18, Ramachandran birdied No. 17, and Singh had birds on Nos. 16 and 17 to put Independence over the top.


Class 3: Abingdon won for the third year in a row and the fifth time in the last six seasons with a 12-stroke margin over Lord Botetourt at Stonehenge Golf & Country Club in Richmond.

Charlottesville's Preston Burton fired a 3-under-par 69 to claim the individual crown, scoring a birdie on the 18th hole.

Burton was two shots better than runner-up Grace Addison of Abingdon.

Cave Spring's Owen Bright placed third at 72. Defending champion Ashton Harper of Lord Botetourt was fourth at 73.

Addison paced Abingdon to its sixth team championship in eight years. The Falcons also counted scores by Conner Brummitt (76), Mason Funk (76) and Jackson Cook (83).

Abingdon and Lord Botetourt were followed in the team standings by Meridian (324), Charlottesville and New Kent (327), York (335), Goochland (338) and Rockbridge County (351).


Class 1: Grayden Laird and Talan Gentry survived a frost delay and finished 1-2 in the individual standings to lift Galax to the championship at Olde Mill Golf Resort in Laurel Fork.

Laird's 1-over-par 73 was good enough for a one-stroke victory over Gentry, whose birdie on No. 18 allowed him to share second place at 74 with defending champion Benson Blevins of George Wythe.

Wythe's David Goode placed fourth at 75.

Galax's team score of 322 was 26 shots ahead of George Wythe and Middlesex. The Maroon Tide was the team runner-up to Lancaster in 2021.

Castlewood placed fourth at 349, followed by Lancaster (360), Patrick Henry-Glade Spring (398), Riverheads (417) and Central-Lunenburg (442).


Class 5:

At Heritage Oaks Golf Course, Harrisonburg (par 70)

Team Scores

Independence;;287

Riverside;;288

Deep Run;;295

Mills Godwin;;296

Frank Cox;;312

Menchville;;317

First Colonial;;323

Nansemond River;;342


Individual Scores

Josh Haggerty, Frank Cox;;33-35--68

Ben Baker, Briar Woods;;35-34--69

Neil Kulkami, Independence;;35-34--69

Vaughn McMeans, Riverside;;34-35--69

Joseph Weinstein, Midlothian;;35-35--70

Charlie White, Douglas Freeman;;34-36--70

James Oh, Deep Run;;35-35--70

Caroline Gilreath, PH-Roanoke;;37-34--71

Hayden Quinn, Riverside;;36-35--71

Keya Naik, Independence;;36-35--71

Morgan Mussatt, Mills Godwin;;36-36--72

Ryan Macklin, Mills Godwin;;36-36--72

Jacob Ryczko, Deep Run;;33-39--72

Will Carlin, Riverside;;37-35--72

Trenton McMillen, Nansemond River;;37-46--73

Luke Combs, Menchville;;37-36--73

Kapil Ramachandran, Independence;;36-37--73

Bryce Jones, First Colonial;;38-36--74

Caden Sherman, Deep Run;;37-37--74

Nick Collins, Mills Godwin;;37-37--74

Sujaan Singh, Independence;;37-37--74

Jake Davis, Independence;;38-37--75

Riley Robbins, Salem-Va. Beach;;39-37--76

Madison Rizzo, Riverside;;39-37--76

Brendan Franklin, Potomac Falls;;39-38--77

Andrew White, Gloucester;;38-40--78

Ben Kablach, First Colonial;;36-42--78

Ethan Rekant, Frank Cox;;39-39--78

Lily Davis, Mills Godwin;;40-38--78

Neel Palikonda, Menchville;;36-43--79

Jason Casullo, Deep Run;;41-38--79

Nicholas Conboy, Nansemond River;;38-42--80

Miles Rhoden, Deep Run;;35-45--80

Lawrence Belcher, Mills Godwin;;41-39--80

Ellis Hobbie, Deep Run;;39-42--81

Byron Millet, Independence;;38-43--81

Brayden Miles, Bayside;;37-45--82

Barrett Pendergast, Frank Cox;;35-47--82

Thomas Aman, Menchville;;40-42--82

Cooper Vance, Riverside;;37-45--82

Tate Williams, Riverside;;40-42--82

Landon Honig, Glen Allen;;41-42--83

Bruce Hitt, Menchville;;38-45--83

Easton Hamrick, Frank Cox;;43-41--84

Blake Heselius, Frank Cox;;47-38--85

Porter Hurt, First Colonial;;41-44--85

Tucker Poole, Maury;;42-44--86

Aidan New, Frank Cox;;44-42--86

Thomas Gourley, First Colonial;;39-47--86

Gunnar Healy, Gloucester;;46-41--87

Matkins Milligan, Mills Godwin;;46-41--87

Aidan Savoie, First Colonial;;44-44--88

Fin Worrall, Princess Anne;;44-46--90

Jake Chavis, First Colonial;;49-42--91

Marshall Beasley, Menchville;;46-45--91

Ivy Byrd, Nansemond River;;48-45--93

Joey Tamayo, Namemond River;;47-49--96

Paul Gere, Menchville;;43-57--100

Johnathan McCarthy, Nansemond River;;43-60--103

Devin Baummer, Nansemond River;;48-56--104


Class 3:

At Stonehenge Golf & Country Club, Richmond (par 72)

Team Scores

Abingdon;;306

Lord Botetourt;;318

Meridian;;324

Charlottesville;;327

New Kent;;327

York;;335

Goochland;;338

Rockbridge County;;351


Individual Scores

Preston Burton, Charlottesville;;34-35--69

Grace Addison, Abingdon;;33-38--71

Owen Bright, Cave Spring;;36-34--72

Ashton Harper, Lord Botetourt;;38-35--73

Killian Donnelly, Fluvanna Co.;;37-38--75

Conner Brummitt, Abingdon;;37-39--76

Noah Peng, Meridian;;37-39--76

Mason Funk, Abingdon;;36-40--76

Hunter Duncan, Lord Botetourt;;38-38--76

Patrick McCrickard, Magna Vista;;40-37--77

Brett Ferry, New Kent;;39=39--78

Richard Hearp, Hidden Valley;;42-37--79

Ben Edwards, Spotswood;;38-41--79

Dillon Mickles, New Kent;;41-38--79

Jeremy Green, York;;40-39--79

Carter Knick, William Monroe;;42-48--80

Ethan Bartlett, Meridian;;41-39--80

Chris Salyers, William Monroe;;40-41--81

Luke Manno, Goochland;;40-41--81

Andrew McCoy, Rockbridge Co.;;38-43--81

Dean Zike, Meridian;;41-41--82

Kyle Diggs, New Kent;;41;41--82

John Elam, Staunton;;39-44--83

Griffin Walts, Charlottesville;;39-44--83

Jackson Cook, Abingdon;;39-44;;83

Lawson Pope, York;;42-41--83

Will Gravely, Goochland;;40-44--84

Gintas Putinas, Goochland;;42;42--84

Kasey Davis, Lord Botetourt;;41-43--84

Carter Chapin, York;;41-44--85

Xavier Shelton, Lord Botetourt;;40-45--85

Ben Meade, Meridian;;46-40--86

Graham Morrison, Charlottesville;;44-42;;86

Sofia Vargas, Rockbridge Co.;;44-42--86

Mary Topping, Maggie Walker;;43;44--87

Cayden Sheaffer, New Kent;;47-41--88

Ryan Banwart, York;;43-45--88

Landon Rybolt, Charlottesville;;45-44--89

Ben Ewing, Charlottesville;;47-42--89

Tyler Meade, Lord Botetourt;;43-46--89

Lance Coleman, Goochland;;40-49--89

Justin Babilino, York;;47-42--89

Brendan Moss, Lafayette;;46-45--91

Cadyn Bowles, Lord Botetourt;;45-46--91

Harrison Tanner, Rockbridge Co.;;45-46--91

Dawson Handy, Goochland;;47-44--91

Henry Brown, Meridian;;48-44--92

Robert Edwards, New Kent;;48-44-92

Palmer Douglas, New Kent;;44-49--93

Henry Vazales, Goochland;;44-49--93

Abby Brooks, Rockbridge Co.;;46-47--93

Cole Harrington, Lakeland;;39-55--93

Yenesew Smith, Abingdon;;47-47--94

Alex Way, Meridian;;48-48--96

Leo Cafferillo, Charlottesville;;44-53--97

Christian Martin, York;;51-46--97

Nick Vargas, Rockbridge Co.;;51-48--99

Colin McClintic, Abingdon;;51-49--100

Jackson Bates, Tabb;;50-53--103

Jack Jensen, Rockbridge County;;52-52--104


Class 1:

At Olde Mill Golf Resort, Laurel Fork (par 72)

Team Scores

Galax;;322

Middlesex;;348

George Wythe;;;348

Castlewood;;349

Lancaster;;360

PH-Glade Spring;;398

Riverheads;;417

Central-Lunenburg;;442


Individual Scores

Grayden Laird, Galax;;36-37--73

Talan Gentry, Galax;;40-34--74

Benson Blevins, George Wythe;;38-36--74

David Goode, George Wythe;;37-38--75

Cameron Grabeel, Thomas Walker;;38-38--76

Carson Iroler, Galax;;41-37--78

Peyton Lambert, Middlesex;;44-35--79

Claire Beitel, Lancaster;;41-39--80

Chase Coley, Chilhowie;;45-36--81

Abby Bradley, Castlewood;;43-40--83

Garrison Robbins, Middlesex;;44-39--83

Drew Royal, Auburn;;43-43--86

Jacob Lasley, Castlewood;;46-41--87

Maddox Barnette, Castlewood;;39-48--87

Amanti Starks, Northumberland;;47-41--88

Walker Gillespie, Giles;;46-42--88

Jon Kern, Rye Cove;;47-42--89

Leyton Dew, Lancaster;;51-38--89

Hunter Howard, Eastern Montgomery;;44-46--90

J.P. Crawford, Riverheads;;46-44--90

Carter Lester, PH-Glade Spring;;49-42--91

Tre Booth, Northumberland;;49-43--92

Bailee Varneky, Castlewood;;51-41--92

Collin Payne, Lancaster;;45-48--93

Neilson McMinn, Middlesex;;53-40--93

Hudson McMinn, Middlesex;;47-46--93

Kasey Fitzgerald, Buffalo Gap;;49-46--95

Reece Vaught, George Wythe;;44-52--96

Robert Hite, Cent.-Lunenburg;;46-51--97

Adam Dillon, Galax;;54-43--97

Peirson Long, Lancaster;;57-41--98

Keagan Hutton, PH-Glade Spring;;48-50--98

Parker Hite, Cent.-Lunenburg;;54-45--99

Payton King, Castlewood;;50-49--99

Connor Robinette, Castlewood;;50-50--100

Savannah Riley, PH-Glade Spring;;53-48--101

Isaac Scheulen, Rappahannock;;53-49--102

Jedd McGrady, Galax;;54-49--103

Stephen Jackson, George Wythe;;54-49--103

Thomas Hubbard, Mathews;;55-49--104

Creston Saunders, Lancaster;;56-51--107

Jayson Stuart, Galax;;55-52--107

Tucker Harlow, Riverheads;;57-51--108

Hamilton Addair, PH-Glade Spring;;57-51--108

Alex Nichols, Riverheads;;59-50--109

Dawson Grackman, Riverheads;;60-50--110

Abel Crader, Middlesex;;57-54--111

Ethan Kerr, William Campbell;;63-52--115

Daniel Shell, Cent.-Lunenburg;;57-58--115

Eli Pittman, Lancaster;;64-53--117

Payton Rigney, George Wythe;;60-59--119

Braeden Nichols, PH-Glade Spring;;60-59--119

Max Owens, PH-Glade Spring;;71-53--124

Cole Glasco, Middlesex;;59-68--127

Hunter Gary, Cent.-Lunenburg;;68-63--131

Camden Huffer, Riveheads;;76-55--131

Jaelyn Taylor, George Wythe;;80-53--133

Carter Gee, Cent.-Lunenburg;;83-59--142

Lincoln Harlow, Riverheads;;73-71--144

Hailey Powers, Cent.-Lunenburg;;90-80--170